Liftable tabletop fixtures

Abstract

To provide top plate lifting and lowering type furniture of a simple constitution where a top plate having a shape other than a rectangle in a plan view is stably supported.SOLUTION: A top plate lifting and lowering type desk includes a leg unit and a top plate supported by the leg unit. The leg unit includes: a base unit which has a pair of lifting and lowering legs and a connecting frame connecting the pair of the lifting and lowering legs, and where the top plate is fixed to each of top plate fixing parts provided in an upper part of the pair of the lifting and lowering legs; and an auxiliary frame which extends in a direction intersecting an extension direction of the connecting frame along the underside of the top plate and is fixed to the top plate. The top plate includes a bulging part bulging outward relative to a straight line circumscribing the top plate fixing part of the base unit in a plan view. In the leg unit, the auxiliary frame of a length corresponding to a bulging amount of the bulging part is attached to the base unit so that an end part of the other side extends to the neighborhood of an outer edge in the bulging part while an end part of one side is connected to the connecting frame.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a furniture unit with a liftable top. [Background technology]

[0002] In office spaces such as offices, public facilities, and homes, furniture with tabletops is often installed to provide workers with a work area or flat surface. In addition to office use, such furniture with tabletops can also be used for meetings, discussions, breaks, and other gatherings. The top of a tabletop fixture may have a planar shape other than rectangular depending on the application. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a table whose planar shape can be changed to a shape other than a rectangle, such as an L-shape, by adding an extension top to the end of the rectangular top. In particular, when the extension top is large, a support pillar is provided below the tip of the extension top to support the extension top. For example, Patent Document 2 describes furniture with a top in which an irregularly shaped top that is L-shaped in plan view is supported by a support body that has corner legs, frame members, and a sleeve structure for the base. For example, Patent Document 3 describes a table in which a tabletop having a substantially quadrant shape in plan view is supported by legs arranged to spread apart in a V-shape in plan view. BACKGROUND ART In recent years, among furniture fixtures with tabletops, furniture fixtures with lifting tables, in which the height of the tabletop can be changed using a lifting mechanism, have become widely used. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 3303756 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 4177680 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-103977 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, conventional lift-top fixtures have the following problems. As described in Patent Documents 1 to 3, in furniture with a top, when the top has a shape other than rectangular in plan view, support legs are provided at appropriate positions to support the top in a balanced manner. However, in the case of a lifting tabletop fixture, the lifting mechanism and its control unit are installed inside the legs, so if the positioning, shape, number, etc. of the legs are determined according to the shape of the tabletop, the legs become specialized parts according to the shape of the tabletop, which increases the cost of the legs. For this reason, irregularly shaped tabletops whose planar shape differs significantly from a rectangle are not used in lift-up tabletop fixtures. It is possible to repurpose the legs with lifting functions that support rectangular tabletops to support irregularly shaped tabletops other than rectangular, but this creates the problem that the part of the tabletop that bulges out from the tabletop fixing part of the legs is more likely to bend, reducing the stability of the tabletop lifting fixture.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a simply configured display unit with a liftable top that stably supports a top that has a planar shape other than rectangular. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, an aspect of the present invention provides a tabletop lifting fixture comprising a leg unit and a tabletop supported by the leg unit, wherein the leg unit comprises a pair of lifting legs arranged on the floor surface and having upper parts that can be raised and lowered, and a connecting frame connecting the pair of lifting legs, and an auxiliary frame fixed to the tabletop at each of the tabletop fixing parts provided at the upper parts of the pair of lifting legs, wherein the tabletop comprises a bulge part that bulges outward from a straight line circumscribing the tabletop fixing part of the base unit in a plan view, and the auxiliary frame extends from the connecting frame toward the bulge part.

[0007] With this configuration, the tabletop is fixed to the auxiliary frame that extends toward the bulging portion, and the auxiliary frame functions as a reinforcing structure for the portion of the tabletop to which it is fixed and its vicinity, thereby reducing deflection of the bulging portion.

[0008] In the above-mentioned tabletop lifting fixture, the auxiliary frame may extend to an area that overlaps with the bulge portion in a plan view, and may be fixed to the bulge portion. According to this configuration, the auxiliary frame is fixed to the bulging portion in the area where it overlaps with the bulging portion, so the bulging portion itself is reinforced by the auxiliary frame.

[0009] In the above-mentioned furniture with a liftable top, a controller for controlling the lifting and lowering operation of the pair of lifting legs may be housed inside the connecting frame. According to this configuration, the controller is housed inside the connecting frame, which makes it possible to make the device smaller and simpler than when the controller is disposed outside the connecting frame.

[0010] In the above-mentioned furniture with a liftable top, a first wiring that electrically connects the controller and the pair of liftable legs may be housed inside the connecting frame. With this configuration, the first wiring is housed inside the connecting frame, which can prevent the first wiring from interfering with each other or with other wiring, or from becoming entangled. Also, the external exposure of the first wiring can be reduced, improving the appearance.

[0011] The above-mentioned tabletop lifting fixture may further include auxiliary lifting legs that are placed on the floor surface, connected to the auxiliary frame, electrically connected to the controller, and rise and fall in conjunction with the pair of lifting legs. With this configuration, the auxiliary frame is supported on the floor by the auxiliary lifting legs so that it can be raised and lowered in conjunction with the pair of lifting legs. Therefore, the auxiliary frame is supported by both the base unit and the auxiliary lifting legs, further improving the reinforcing function of the auxiliary frame. Furthermore, the stability of the tabletop is further improved by being able to prevent the tabletop from rotating due to external forces acting on the bulging portion.

[0012] In the above-mentioned furniture with a liftable top, a second wiring that electrically connects the controller and the auxiliary lifting legs may be housed inside the auxiliary frame. With this configuration, the second wiring is housed inside the auxiliary frame, which can prevent the second wiring from interfering with each other or with other wiring, or from becoming entangled. Also, the external exposure of the second wiring can be reduced, improving the appearance.

[0013] In the above-mentioned tabletop lifting fixture, the connecting frame may be provided with a frame fixing portion that fixes the fixing position of the auxiliary frame so that the fixing position can be changed in the longitudinal direction of the connecting frame. With this configuration, a tabletop lifting fixture can be constructed using leg units of similar configuration by changing the fixing position of the auxiliary frame at the frame fixing portion, even for various tabletops with different shapes and sizes of bulging portions. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a simply configured liftable tabletop fixture in which a tabletop having a planar shape other than rectangular is stably supported. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a liftable tabletop fixture according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic front view of a liftable tabletop fixture according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic side view of a liftable tabletop fixture according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic plan view of a liftable tabletop fixture according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 5] 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing an example of the connection structure between a base unit and a connection frame in a liftable tabletop furniture according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing an example of the connection structure between the connection frame and the auxiliary frame in the liftable tabletop furniture of the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing an example of the connection structure between the connection frame and the auxiliary frame in a furniture unit with a liftable top panel according to a modified example (first modified example) of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of a furniture unit with a liftable top panel according to a modified example (second modified example) of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of a liftable tabletop fixture according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic side view of a liftable tabletop fixture according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of a furniture unit with a liftable top panel according to a modified example (third modified example) of the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of a liftable tabletop fixture according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of a furniture unit with a liftable top panel according to a modified example (fourth modified example) of the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of a liftable tabletop fixture according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view showing an example of use of a furniture fixture with a liftable top panel according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In all drawings, even if the embodiments are different, the same or corresponding components are designated by the same reference numerals, and common descriptions will be omitted.

[0017] [First embodiment] A liftable tabletop fixture according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a liftable tabletop fixture according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a schematic front view of the liftable tabletop fixture according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a schematic side view of the liftable tabletop fixture according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a schematic plan view of the liftable tabletop fixture according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, a desk 1 with a height adjustable top (a height adjustable top furniture) of this embodiment includes a leg unit 10 and a top 11 supported by the leg unit 10.

[0019] The leg unit 10 includes a base unit 10A and an auxiliary unit 10B. As shown in FIG. 2, the base unit 10A includes a pair of legs 2R, 2L (lifting legs) spaced apart from each other, and a connecting frame 4 connecting the pair of legs 2R, 2L. Unless otherwise specified, in the following, the direction in which the legs 2R and 2L face each other in the horizontal direction will be referred to as the "left-right direction," and the direction perpendicular to the "left-right direction" will be referred to as the "front-back direction." In the drawings, when double-headed arrows X, Y, and Z are shown, they respectively indicate the left-right direction, front-back direction, and up-down direction. Additionally, "viewing" height-adjustable desk 1 from the front means viewing height-adjustable desk 1 from the front side with leg 2R on the right and leg 2L on the left. Unless otherwise specified, "front" refers to a proximal position and area in a front view. Similarly, "rear" refers to a distal position and area in a front view. The "plan view" of the height-adjustable desk 1 means that the height-adjustable desk 1 is viewed from above downwards.

[0020] The leg body 2R is composed of a plurality of ground contact portions 2a arranged on the floor surface F, a lower support 2b spanning each of the ground contact portions 2a and fixed to each of the ground contact portions 2a, an upper support 2c (top board fixing portion) arranged above the lower support 2b and supporting the underside of the top board 11 described later, and a lifting mechanism unit 3 that connects the lower support 2b and the upper support 2c so as to be extendable and contractible in the vertical direction. Similar to the leg 2R, the leg 2L is also configured to have a plurality of ground contact portions 2a, a lower support 2b, an upper support 2c, and an elevating mechanism unit 3. Below, each configuration common to the leg 2R and 2L will be described.

[0021] The number and shape of the ground contact portions 2a in plan view are not particularly limited. In the example shown in Fig. 1, two ground contact portions 2a are provided on each of the legs 2R and 2L. Each ground contact portion 2a has a circular shape in plan view. Although not shown, an adjuster that allows fine adjustment of the height from the floor surface F is provided on the top of each ground contact portion 2a.

[0022] The lower support 2b is a plate-like member extending in the front-rear direction, and has a ground contact portion 2a at each end in the front-rear direction. The height of the lower support 2b from the floor F can be finely adjusted using an adjuster (not shown). Therefore, even if the floor F is misaligned from the horizontal plane, all of the ground contact portions 2a can be brought into contact with the floor F without rattle, and the position of the base unit 10A relative to the horizontal plane can be finely adjusted. In the following description, it is assumed that the top 11 is positioned along the horizontal plane when the height-adjustable desk 1 is installed.

[0023] The upper supports 2c are arranged to extend in the front-rear direction, as shown in the example of the leg 2R in Figure 3. In this embodiment, the length of the upper supports 2c is approximately the same as that of the lower supports 2b, and the upper supports 2c and the lower supports 2b face each other in the up-down direction. The upper surfaces of the upper supports 2c are arranged horizontally. For example, the upper support body 2c is formed by bending a metal plate. The shape of the upper support body 2c is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, the upper support body 2c has a hollow structure through which wiring for supplying control signals and power to the lifting mechanism unit 3 (described later) can be inserted. There are no particular limitations on the method for fixing upper support body 2c to top plate 11, which will be described later. For example, upper support body 2c may be fixed to top plate 11 by screws or the like.

[0024] The lifting mechanism unit 3 has a conventionally known configuration, and is made up of multiple square tubes of different dimensions that are fitted together so that they can move relative to each other, allowing it to expand and contract in the vertical direction by driving the drive mechanism housed inside. The position where the lifting mechanism unit 3 is fixed to the lower support 2b is not particularly limited. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the lower end 3a of the lifting mechanism unit 3 is fixed to the upper surface of the lower support 2b at a position between the center of the lower support 2b in the front-to-rear direction (left-to-right direction in the figure) and the rear end (right side in the figure). The lifting mechanism unit 3 is arranged so that it can extend and retract in a direction (up-down direction) perpendicular to the extension direction of the lower support 2b. Therefore, the upper support 2c can be raised and lowered in accordance with the extension and retraction of the lifting mechanism unit 3. An upper end 3b of the lifting mechanism unit 3 is fixed to the underside of the upper support body 2c at a position between the center and rear end of the upper support body 2c in the front-to-rear direction. An opening (not shown) is formed in the upper support body 2c, and the lifting mechanism unit 3 and the upper support body 2c communicate with each other through the upper end 3b of the lifting mechanism unit 3. Therefore, wiring used to drive the lifting mechanism unit 3 can extend inside the upper support body 2c. There is no particular limitation on the method of fixing the lifting mechanism unit 3 to the lower support body 2b and the upper support body 2c. For example, the lower end 3a and the upper end 3b of the lifting mechanism unit 3 may be fixed to the lower support body 2b and the upper support body 2c, respectively, by welding or the like. With this configuration, the leg 2R has a sideways H-shape in a side view when viewed from the left and right direction.

[0025] As shown in Figure 4, the connecting frame 4 has a box-like structure that extends long in the left-right direction. Both ends of the connecting frame 4 in the extending direction are fixed to the opposing side surfaces of each upper support 2c of the legs 2R, 2L. The fixing position of the connecting frame 4 in the longitudinal direction of each upper support 2c is not particularly limited, but in the example shown in Figure 4, it is the same as the fixing position of the lifting mechanism unit 3. Therefore, each lifting mechanism unit 3 and the connecting frame 4 form a portal frame arranged on the same vertical plane.

[0026] An example of the configuration of the connecting frame 4 will be described. FIG. 5 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing an example of the connection structure between the base unit and the connection frame in the furniture fixture with a liftable top according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] As shown in Figure 5, the connecting frame 4 includes an upper frame 4A and a lower frame 4B. However, Figure 5 shows the connecting frame 4 near the leg 2L in order to show the connecting structure with the leg 2L. For convenience of illustration, the connecting frame 4 is cut away. Although not specifically shown, the configuration of the connecting frame 4 near the leg 2R and the connecting structure with the upper support body 2c are also similar.

[0028] The upper frame 4A is formed by bending a metal plate, and includes a connecting plate 4a, downward plates 4b, 4b, horizontal plates 4c, 4c, and upward plates 4d, 4d. The connecting plate 4a is a flat plate portion fixed to the underside of the tabletop 11 (described later). The connecting plate 4a is a rectangular plate that is long in the left-right direction. The width of the connecting plate 4a in the front-to-rear direction is approximately equal to the width of the lifting mechanism unit 3 in the front-to-rear direction. The connecting plate 4a has a plurality of screw insertion holes 4g through which screws 14b for fixing the connecting plate 4a to the tabletop 11 (described later) can be inserted. The downward plates 4b extend downward from the respective front and rear end edges of the connecting plate 4a. Although not shown in the drawings, the rear downward plate 4b is provided with an appropriate fixing portion for fixing the auxiliary frame 6, which will be described later. For example, in this embodiment, in order to fix the auxiliary frame 6 to the connecting frame 4 using a screw, a female screw is provided as an example of the fixing portion. Each horizontal plate 4c extends inward from the lower edge of each downward plate 4b in parallel with the connecting plate 4a. However, the tips of the horizontal plates 4c are spaced apart from each other in the extending direction. The gap between the horizontal plates 4c may be constant or may vary in the left-right direction. Although not particularly shown, each horizontal plate 4c is provided with an appropriate number of female screws for screwing in a lower frame 4B, which will be described later. Each upward plate 4d extends upward from the inner edge (the tip in the extending direction) of each horizontal plate 4c. Each upward plate 4d may be provided over the entire length of each horizontal plate 4c in the left-right direction, or may be provided on a part of the inner edge of each horizontal plate 4c. For example, when the upward plate 4d is used as a wiring arrangement guide described later, the upward plate 4d may be provided spaced apart in the left-right direction. A space 4h1 that opens downward is formed between the upward plates 4d that face each other in the front-rear direction. The space 4h1 can accommodate appropriate members to be placed inside the connecting frame 4. For example, the control unit 7 (controller) is placed in the space 4h1. The control unit 7 controls the lifting mechanism units 3 provided on the legs 2R, 2L and the auxiliary leg 5 described below so that their lifting operations are synchronized with each other.

[0029] The left end of the upper frame 4A is provided with fixing plates 4e, 4e for connecting to the upper support 2c of the leg 2L. In this embodiment, each fixing plate 4e extends outward from the edge of each downward plate 4b, parallel to the inner surface 2e of the upper support 2c. Here, the inner surface 2e is a plane parallel to the vertical plane extending in the front-to-rear direction of the upper support 2c. An opening 2f that communicates with the interior of the connecting frame 4 is opened on the inner surface 2e. A U-shaped fixing groove 4f is formed at the lower end of each fixing plate 4e, penetrating through the thickness direction and opening downward. The opening width of the fixing groove 4f is large enough to allow the insertion of a screw 14a for fixing the upper frame 4A to the inner surface 2e.

[0030] With this configuration, each fixing plate 4e is fixed to the upper support body 2c by threading the screws 14a inserted into each fixing groove 4f into a female screw (not shown) provided on the inner surface 2e. Although not specifically shown, the right end of the upper frame 4A is provided with fixing plates 4e, 4e similar to those described above, and the upper frame 4A is fixed to the upper support 2c of the leg 2R using similar screws 14a. When the upper frame 4A is connected to each upper support body 2c, the upper surfaces 2d of the legs 2L, 2R and the connecting plate 4a are arranged on the same plane.

[0031] The lower frame 4B is a cover member that covers the side and bottom surfaces of the upper frame 4A and is formed by bending a metal plate. The lower frame 4B includes a lower plate 4i that covers the horizontal plates 4c and the space 4h1 of the upper frame 4A from below, and side plates 4j, 4j that extend upward from each front-to-rear edge of the lower plate 4i and extend to a height approximately equal to that of the downward plate 4b. The lower plate 4i is formed in a rectangular shape with a width slightly larger than that of the connecting plate 4a and a length equal to that of the connecting plate 4a. In the lower surface plate 4i, a plurality of screw insertion holes 4k are formed through portions overlapping with the horizontal plates 4c, through which screws 14c for fixing the lower surface plate 4i to the upper frame 4A are inserted. The lower plate 4i has a plurality of screw insertion holes 4m formed in the center in the left-right direction, through which screws 14d for fixing the control unit 7 are inserted. The pitch of each screw insertion hole 4m corresponds to the position of a female screw (not shown) provided on the control unit 7. The position of each screw insertion hole 4m is such that the control unit 7 can be inserted into the space 4h1.

[0032] A fixing portion for fixing an auxiliary frame 6 (described later) and an opening portion communicating with the interior of the auxiliary frame 6 are formed on the rear side of the connecting frame 4. For example, a female screw, which is a fixing part (not shown), is provided on the rear downward plate 4b of the upper frame 4A, and a screw insertion hole 4p, through which a screw 14a (described later) is inserted, is provided on the rear side plate 4j of the lower frame 4B at a position overlapping with the female screw. Furthermore, an opening 4n is formed in the rear side plate 4j of the lower frame 4B at a position that allows communication with the auxiliary frame 6. An opening (not shown) is formed in the rear downward plate 4b of the upper frame 4A at a position that overlaps with the opening 4n.

[0033] With this configuration, the control unit 7 is fixed onto the bottom plate 4i of the lower frame 4B with multiple screws 14d. In this state, the lower frame 4B is attached from below so as to cover the side and bottom surfaces of the upper frame 4A, and is fixed to the upper frame 4A with multiple screws 14c. In the leg unit 10, the upper supports 2c are connected to one another by the connecting frame 4 configured as described above.

[0034] 4, in the base unit 10A, the upper frame supporting the tabletop 11 has an H-shape in plan view, with the connecting frame 4 connecting each upper support 2c in the left-right direction between both longitudinal ends of each upper support 2c. Therefore, even when a front edge 11b, which is a recess in the tabletop 11, is formed between each upper support 2c, the connecting frame 4 can be fixed to the tabletop main body 11A on the inside of the front edge 11b. The lower supports 2b of the base unit 10A are connected in an H-shape in plan view by a gate-shaped frame (see FIG. 3) made up of the lifting mechanism units 3 on the lower supports 2b and the connecting frame 4. The base unit 10A of this embodiment is placed on the floor surface F via four ground contact portions 2a. Therefore, a force acting downward on the top board 11 within the area surrounding each ground contact portion 2a in a plan view is distributed to these four ground contact portions 2a and transmitted to the floor surface F. In a plan view, the area surrounding each grounding portion 2a by a straight line circumscribing each grounding portion 2a will be referred to as the grounding area G. In this embodiment, the grounding area G is a generally rectangular shape that is elongated in the left-right direction. In addition, in a plan view, the area surrounding each upper support 2c by a straight line circumscribing each upper support 2c will be referred to as the top plate attachment area T. In this embodiment, the top plate attachment area T is a rectangular shape that is elongated in the left-right direction, since each upper support 2c faces the left-right direction and extends in the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, in a plan view, in each of the legs 2R and 2L, the upper supports 2c are slightly shorter than the lower supports 2b and overlap the lower supports 2b from above. Specifically, the front ends of the upper supports 2c extend to a position that substantially overlaps the rear ends of the lower ground-contact portions 2a, and the rear ends of the upper supports 2c extend to a position that overlaps the lower ground-contact portions 2a. Therefore, the top plate attachment area T is formed so as to overlap the inside of the ground-contact area G and is a rectangle with an area slightly smaller than that of the ground-contact area G.

[0035] 3, the auxiliary unit 10B in this embodiment reinforces a rear bulge 11B of the tabletop 11, which will be described later, and supports the tabletop 11 from below at the rear bulge 11B so that the tabletop 11 can be raised and lowered. The auxiliary unit 10B, together with the base unit 10A, is provided to stably support the tabletop 11. Therefore, the configuration of the auxiliary unit 10B is related to the shape of the top plate 11. First, the detailed shape of the top plate 11 will be described.

[0036] 4, the top panel 11 has a V-shaped band shape with a substantially constant width in a plan view. The outer edges of the top panel 11 in a plan view include a rear edge 11a, a front edge 11b, a right edge 11c, and a left edge 11d. The rear edge 11a has a mountain shape with a convex portion that extends rearward beyond the center of the tabletop mounting area T in the left-right direction and is centered at the center of the tabletop mounting area T. The apex of the rear edge 11a is curved in an arc. Both ends of the rear edge 11a pass near the rear corners of the tabletop mounting area T and extend linearly outward in the left-right direction from the tabletop mounting area T. The front edge 11b is recessed inward of the tabletop mounting area T, centered at the center of the tabletop mounting area T in the left-right direction. The front edge 11b is parallel to the rear edge 11a, and therefore the distance between the front edge 11b and the rear edge 11a in the front-to-rear direction is approximately constant. Both ends of the front edge 11b pass near the front corners of the tabletop mounting area T and extend to a width approximately equal to the left-to-right width of the tabletop mounting area T. The right edge 11c is a straight line connecting the right ends of the rear edge 11a and the front edge 11b, and therefore extends obliquely from the front end toward the rear end, gradually moving away from the right end of the tabletop attachment area T. The left edge 11d is a straight line connecting the left ends of the rear edge 11a and the front edge 11b, and therefore extends obliquely from the front end toward the rear end, gradually moving away from the left end of the tabletop attachment area T. The shape of the table top 11 in plan view is symmetrical with respect to a central axis C of the table top 11 extending in the front-rear direction.

[0037] Due to this shape, in a plan view, the table top 11 can be classified into a table top main body portion 11A that overlaps with the table top mounting area T, a rear bulging portion 11B (bulging portion) that bulges rearward from the table top mounting area T, a right bulging portion 11C that bulges rightward from the table top mounting area T, and a left bulging portion 11D that bulges leftward from the table top mounting area T. Hereinafter, the rear bulging portion 11B, the right bulging portion 11C, and the left bulging portion 11D may be collectively referred to as "each bulging portion." By definition, the bulging portions overlap each other except when the outer edge of the top plate 11 circumscribes the top plate attachment area T, but in this embodiment, the area of ​​the overlapping portions is small. For simplicity, in Figure 4, the general shape is shown by a two-dot chain line. The rear bulge 11B has a general shape of a mountain with its base on the long side of the tabletop mounting area T. The right bulge 11C and the left bulge 11D have a general shape of a right triangle with its base on the short side of the tabletop mounting area T and with the apex angle positioned toward the rear. In this embodiment, the amount of bulging of each bulging portion, that is, the distance from the outer shape of the top panel attachment area T, is greater for rear bulging portion 11B than for right bulging portion 11C and left bulging portion 11D.

[0038] If the underside of each bulging portion is not supported by a support member, when a downward force is applied, the table top 11 will bend with the base unit 10A as the support end. The greater the amount of bulging of each bulging portion from the table top mounting area T, the more likely the bulging portion will bend, which may impair the stability of the table top 11. It is possible to increase the rigidity by making the bulging portions thicker, but in this case the table top 11 will become heavier. Even if the deflection of each bulging portion is small, if the downward external force acting on each bulging portion becomes large, a rotational movement is generated around the contact portion 2a, which makes it easy for the contact portion 2a to float or the tabletop 11 to tilt. In this embodiment, the tabletop attachment area T is formed so as to substantially overlap with the contact area G, and therefore the downward force acting on the tip of the bulging portion is easy to cause a rotational movement of the tabletop 11, which may impair the stable support state of the tabletop 11.

[0039] The auxiliary unit 10B in this embodiment reinforces the rear bulging portion 11B and supports it from below in order to reduce the above-mentioned instability factors. The reason for this is that, because base unit 10A extends long in the left-right direction and connecting frame 4 is located forward of the rear ends of each upper support body 2c, rear bulging portion 11B is more likely to deflect than right bulging portion 11C and left bulging portion 11D when an external force of the same magnitude acts at the same position from the boundary of tabletop mounting area T. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the amount of expansion of rear bulging portion 11B is greater than the amount of expansion of right bulging portion 11C and left bulging portion 11D, so it is more preferable to reinforce rear bulging portion 11B and support it from below.

[0040] The auxiliary unit 10B includes an auxiliary frame 6 and an auxiliary leg body 5 (auxiliary lifting leg). 4, the auxiliary frame 6 is disposed on the underside of the rear bulging portion 11B, and extends from the connecting frame 4 in a direction intersecting the extending direction of the connecting frame 4. In this embodiment, the auxiliary frame 6 extends rearward from the connecting frame 4 in a direction perpendicular to the connecting frame 4, along the central axis C of the table top 11. The length of the auxiliary frame 6 is not particularly limited as long as it can reinforce the rear bulging portion 11B to the necessary extent. In this embodiment, the auxiliary frame 6 extends to the vicinity of the outer edge of the tabletop 11. Therefore, the auxiliary frame 6 extends from the connecting frame 4 toward the rear bulging portion 11B, outside the tabletop attachment area T. The auxiliary frame 6 is fixed to at least the rear bulging portion 11B, and more preferably, the auxiliary frame 6 is also fixed to the top board main body portion 11A.

[0041] There are no particular limitations on the specific configuration of the auxiliary frame 6. For example, the auxiliary frame 6 may have a box-shaped structure similar to the connecting frame 4 that extends long in the front-rear direction, as will be described below. FIG. 6 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing an example of the connection structure between the connection frame and the auxiliary frame in the furniture fixture with a liftable top according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] In the example shown in FIG. 6, the auxiliary frame 6 includes an upper frame 6A and a lower frame 6B. The upper frame 6A has substantially the same configuration as the upper frame 4A, except for the outer dimensions thereof, which are different from those of the upper frame 4A. The following description will focus on the differences from the upper frame 4A. The upper frame 6A is formed by bending a metal plate, similar to the upper frame 4A. The upper frame 6A includes connecting plates 6a, downward plates 6b, horizontal plates 6c, and upward plates 6d, instead of the connecting plates 4a, downward plates 4b, horizontal plates 4c, and upward plates 4d of the upper frame 4A. The connecting plate 6a is a flat plate portion fixed to the underside of the rear bulge portion 11B. The connecting plate 6a is a rectangular plate that is long in the front-rear direction. The left-right width of the connecting plate 6a is approximately equal to the left-right width of the auxiliary leg body 5, which will be described later. The connecting plate 6a has a plurality of screw insertion holes 4g that are similar to those of the connecting plate 4a. The downward plates 6b extend downward from the left and right edges of the connecting plate 6a. Each horizontal plate 6c extends inward from the lower edge of each downward plate 6b in parallel with the connecting plate 6a. However, the tips of the horizontal plates 6c in the extending direction are spaced apart from each other. The gap between the horizontal plates 6c may be constant or may vary in the front-to-rear direction. Although not particularly shown, each horizontal plate 6c is provided with an appropriate number of female screws for screwing in a lower frame 6B, which will be described later. Each upward plate 6d extends upward from the inner edge of each horizontal plate 6c. Each upward plate 6d may be provided over the entire length of each horizontal plate 6c in the left-right direction, or may be provided on a part of the inner edge of each horizontal plate 6c. For example, when the upward plate 6d is used as a wiring arrangement guide (described later), the upward plate 6d may be provided spaced apart in the front-rear direction. A space 6h1 that opens downward is formed between the upward plates 6d that face each other in the left-right direction. In the space 6h1, an appropriate member to be placed inside the auxiliary frame 6, such as a wiring cable, can be placed.

[0043] The front end of the upper frame 6A is provided with fixing plates 6e, 6e for connecting to the connecting frame 4. Each fixing plate 6e has the same configuration as the fixing plate 4e, except that it is provided at the rear end of each downward plate 6b. With this configuration, each fixing plate 6e is fixed to the connecting frame 4 by threading the screws 14a inserted into each fixing groove 4f of each fixing plate 6e into the female threads (not shown) provided on the rear side of the connecting frame 4. When the upper frame 6A is connected to the connecting frame 4, the connecting plate 4a of the connecting frame 4 and the connecting plate 6a are arranged on the same plane.

[0044] The lower frame 6B is a cover member that covers the side, bottom, and rear end of the upper frame 6A, and is formed by bending a metal plate, similar to the lower frame 4B. The following description will focus on the differences from the lower frame 4B. The lower frame 6B includes a lower plate 6i and side plates 6j, 6j, 6n instead of the lower plate 4i and side plates 4j, 4j of the lower frame 4B. The lower plate 6i covers the horizontal plates 6c and the space 6h1 of the upper frame 6A from below. The lower plate 6i is formed in a rectangular shape that is slightly larger than the connecting plate 6a. In the lower surface plate 6i, a plurality of screw insertion holes 6k are formed through portions overlapping with the horizontal plates 6c, through which screws 14c for fixing the lower surface plate 6i to the upper frame 6A are inserted. An opening 6p that communicates with the inside of the auxiliary leg 5, which will be described later, penetrates the lower plate 6i on the rear side in the front-rear direction. The side plates 6j, 6j extend upward from the left and right edges of the lower plate 6i, respectively, to a height approximately equal to that of the downward plate 6b. The side plate 6n extends upward from the rear end edge of the lower plate 6i in the front-rear direction, and extends to a height approximately equal to that of the downward plate 6b.

[0045] With this configuration, the lower frame 6B is attached from below so as to cover the side, bottom and rear edges of the upper frame 6A, and is fixed to the upper frame 6A with a plurality of screws 14c. The auxiliary frame 6 configured in this manner is connected to the connecting frame 4 and is fixed to the lower surface of the rear bulging portion 11B. The interior of the auxiliary frame 6 communicates with the interior of the connecting frame 4 through openings formed in the rear side surface of the connecting frame 4, such as the opening 4n described above.

[0046] As shown in Figure 3, the auxiliary leg body 5 is configured to have a grounding portion 5a similar to the grounding portion 2a placed on the floor surface F, a lower support body 5b that straddles the grounding portion 5a and is fixed to the grounding portion 5a, and a lifting mechanism unit 3 similar to that of the legs 2R and 2L that connects the lower support body 5b and the auxiliary frame 6 so that the unit can be extended and contracted in the vertical direction. Although not shown, an adjuster similar to that provided on the grounding part 2a is provided on the upper part of the grounding part 5a.

[0047] The lower support body 5b is disposed above the grounding portion 5a via an adjuster (not shown). The lower support body 5b is a plate-like body that supports the lower end 3a of the lifting mechanism unit 3 from below. The lower end 3a of the lifting mechanism unit 3 of the auxiliary leg 5 is fixed to the lower support body 5b, and the upper end 3b is fixed to the lower surface of the auxiliary frame 6, respectively. There are no particular limitations on the method for fixing the lifting mechanism unit 3 to the lower support body 5b and the auxiliary frame 6. For example, the lifting mechanism unit 3 on the auxiliary leg 5 may be fixed in the same manner as the lifting mechanism unit 3 on the legs 2R and 2L. With this configuration, the auxiliary leg 5 extends vertically from the auxiliary frame 6 toward the floor surface F. The auxiliary leg 5 supports the lower surface of the rear bulging portion 11B via the auxiliary frame 6 so that the auxiliary leg 5 can move up and down.

[0048] Next, the wiring in the height-adjustable desk 1 will be described. As shown in Fig. 2, an operating unit 16 for inputting lifting operation signals to each lifting mechanism unit is provided at the front end of the upper support 2c of the leg 2R. The input signal through the operating unit 16 is transmitted to the control unit 7 (not shown) via an operating unit wiring cable 15. The operating unit wiring cable 15 is inserted through the interior of the upper support 2c of the leg 2R and into the interior of the connecting frame 4 with which the upper support 2c communicates. As shown in Figure 4, the control unit 7 in the connecting frame 4 is connected to a power cable 13 that supplies power, inter-unit wiring cables 12A, 12B, and 12C that electrically connect to each lifting mechanism unit 3, and also to a wiring cable 15 for the operating unit. Here, the inter-unit wiring cables 12A and 12B are first wirings electrically connected to the lifting mechanism units 3 of the legs 2R and 2L, respectively. The inter-unit wiring cable 12C is a second wiring electrically connected to the lifting mechanism units 3 of the auxiliary leg 5. In the example shown in Figure 4, the connection terminals to which the power cable 13 and the inter-unit wiring cable 12B are connected are provided on the left side of the control unit 7, and the connection terminals to which the inter-unit wiring cables 12A, 12C and the operating unit wiring cable 15 are connected are provided on the right side of the control unit 7.

[0049] As shown in Figure 1, power cable 13 connects control unit 7 to a power source (not shown) provided in the office space where height-adjustable desk 1 is placed, and is routed from the power source and pulled into height-adjustable desk 1. In this case, if power cable 13 is placed in a state where it hangs down below desk top 11, there is a possibility that power cable 13 may get caught on other items placed around or below desk top 11, or even other wiring, when the height of the desk top is changed, and there is also a possibility that an office worker may accidentally come into contact with power cable 13, which is undesirable.

[0050] In this embodiment, the power cable 13 is first routed from the power source and pulled into the upper support 2c of the leg 2L from the rear of the desk 1. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the power cable 13 is connected to the control unit 7 through a space 4h1 formed in the connecting frame 4 that communicates with the upper support 2c. The power cable 13 is held by a restricting member (not shown) that restricts the displacement of the power cable 13 near the desk 1 before being pulled into the upper support 2c. This restricts the free displacement of the power cable 13, allowing it to displace only in a predetermined direction when the desk height is changed. This prevents the power cable 13 from coming into contact with objects around the desk 11.

[0051] 4, inter-unit wiring cables 12A, 12B are routed from the lifting mechanism units 3 to which they are connected to the interior of each upper support 2c that communicates with each lifting mechanism unit 3, and are routed through openings between each upper support 2c and the connecting frame 4 to the interior of the connecting frame 4. Inter-unit wiring cables 12A, 12B routed inside the connecting frame 4 are connected to a control unit 7 fixed to the center of the connecting frame 4.

[0052] The inter-unit wiring cable 12C is routed from the lifting mechanism unit 3 in the auxiliary leg body 5 to the inside of the auxiliary frame 6 that communicates with each lowering mechanism unit 3, and is routed through the opening between the auxiliary frame 6 and the connecting frame 4 to the inside of the connecting frame 4. The inter-unit wiring cable 12C routed inside the connecting frame 4 is connected to the control unit 7 fixed to the center of the connecting frame 4.

[0053] The arrangement of the power cable 13, the inter-unit wiring cables 12A, 12B, 12C, and the operation unit wiring cable 15 inside the connecting frame 4 is not particularly limited. 5, in the present embodiment, inside the connecting frame 4, a space 4h1 between each of the upward plates 4d and a space 4h2 between the downward plate 4b and the upward plate 4d of each of the horizontal plates 4c are formed in parallel in the left-right direction. Therefore, it is possible to route each cable separately through each of the spaces 4h1 and 4h2 depending on the connection position of the control unit 7, etc. For example, the power cable 13 may be routed through the space 4h1, and the inter-unit wiring cables 12A, 12B, and 12C and the operating unit wiring cable 15 may be routed separately through each of the spaces 4h2.

[0054] The arrangement of the inter-unit wiring cable 12C inside the auxiliary leg body 5 is not particularly limited. 6, in the present embodiment, inside the auxiliary leg 5, a space 6h1 between each of the upward plates 6d and a space 6h2 between the downward plate 6b and the upward plate 6d above each of the horizontal plates 6c are formed parallel to each other in the front-to-rear direction. Therefore, the inter-unit wiring cable 12C can be routed through either of these spaces 6h1 or 6h2. For example, the inter-unit wiring cable 12C may be drawn into the interior of the auxiliary leg 5 through the opening 6p and then routed through the space 6h1.

[0055] With this configuration, the control unit 7 sends power supplied from the power cable 13 to each lifting mechanism unit 3, and when it receives a lifting operation signal from the operating unit 16, it synchronizes and controls the lifting operation of each lifting mechanism unit 3 based on the received signal, thereby changing the height of the tabletop 11.

[0056] In the thus configured height-adjustable desk 1, by operating the operation unit 16 and sending a lifting / lowering operation signal, all of the lifting mechanism units 3 are driven together, and the height of the tabletop 11 can be freely changed within the extension / retraction range of each of the lifting mechanism units 3. In this case, the power cable 13, inter-unit wiring cables 12A, 12B, and operation unit wiring cable 15 are arranged inside the connecting frame 4, and the inter-unit wiring cable 12C is arranged inside the auxiliary frame 6 and connecting frame 4, so these wiring cables are hardly exposed to the outside. This prevents the wiring cables from interfering with each other not only during work but also when the height of the tabletop 11 is changed. In addition, the amount of exposed wiring cables can be reduced, improving the appearance of the height-adjustable desk 1.

[0057] Furthermore, the desk 1 with a height-adjustable top board includes the leg unit 10, which includes a base unit 10A and an auxiliary unit 10B. The base unit 10A has a rectangular top mounting area T, and is therefore particularly suitable for supporting a generally rectangular top. This base unit 10A can be used universally in all types of liftable top fixtures. If an irregularly shaped tabletop such as tabletop 11 that is not rectangular is supported only by base unit 10A, for example, a bulge such as rear bulge 11B will be generated from tabletop mounting area T, making tabletop 11 more likely to bend due to a downward external force, which may impair stable support of tabletop 11. Furthermore, an external force acting outside tabletop mounting area T and outside ground contact area G acts as a moment of force that rotates tabletop 11, which may also impair stable support of tabletop 11. However, according to this embodiment, the auxiliary frame 6 connected to the connecting frame 4 is fixed to the underside of the rear bulging portion 11B, so the rear bulging portion 11B itself is reinforced and is less likely to sag. Furthermore, the auxiliary frame 6 is supported from below by the auxiliary leg 5. Therefore, the auxiliary frame 6 and the rear bulging portion 11B fixed to the auxiliary frame 6 are supported from below by the base unit 10A and the auxiliary leg 5 at both ends of the auxiliary leg 5. As a result, rear bulging portion 11B is supported more stably. For example, a downward external force acting on rear bulging portion 11B is dispersed and transmitted to base unit 10A and auxiliary leg 5 through auxiliary frame 6, making it less likely that rear bulging portion 11B itself will deform. Furthermore, since the displacement of the tip of the rear bulging portion 11B in the bulging direction is restricted by the auxiliary leg 5, bending of the tip of the rear bulging portion 11B at the support position of the auxiliary leg 5 is suppressed. Furthermore, in addition to the contact portions 2a, the leg unit 10 also contacts the floor surface F via the contact portions 5a of the auxiliary legs 5 arranged outside the tabletop attachment area T, which is equivalent to an expanded contact area. Therefore, even if a downward external force acting on the tabletop 11 is applied to the rear bulge 11B, the tabletop 11 is less likely to rotate, further improving the stability of the tabletop 11.

[0058] In the desk 1 with adjustable top surface, the three lifting mechanism units 3 provided on the leg units 10 are all controlled by the control unit 7 provided on the connecting frame 4. This results in a simpler and cheaper configuration than when a controller is provided for each lifting mechanism unit 3, and also improves the synchronization of the lifting mechanism units 3. In the height-adjustable desk 1, the connecting frame 4 and the auxiliary frame 6 are connected in a T-shape, and the control unit 7 is located near the connecting part of the T. This simplifies the wiring path, and the length of the first wiring and second wiring extending from the control unit 7 to each lifting mechanism unit 3 can be short. In this embodiment, the control unit 7 is housed inside the connecting frame 4, which prevents the external dimensions of the height-adjustable desk 1 from increasing, as would occur if the control unit 7 were located outside the connecting frame 4. Furthermore, there is no need to provide a cover member or the like to cover the control unit 7, which simplifies the configuration.

[0059] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a desk 1 with a simply configured liftable top that stably supports a top 11 having a shape other than rectangular in a plan view.

[0060] [First Modification] Next, a liftable tabletop fixture according to a modification (first modification) of the first embodiment will be described. As shown in Figure 2, the desk 1A with a liftable top (liftable top furniture) of this modification has a connecting frame 34 instead of the connecting frame 4 of the desk 1 with a liftable top of the first embodiment. The following will mainly explain the differences from the first embodiment.

[0061] FIG. 7 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing an example of the connection structure between the connection frame and the auxiliary frame in a furniture unit with a liftable top panel according to a modification (first modification) of the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, the connecting frame 34 includes an upper frame 34A and a lower frame 34B instead of the upper frame 4A and the lower frame 4B of the first embodiment.

[0062] The upper frame 34A differs from the upper frame 4A in that the rear downward plate 4b has a plurality of female screws 34a (frame fixing parts) for threading the screws 14a and a plurality of openings 34m for inserting the inter-unit wiring cable 12C (not shown). The female screws 34a are arranged in pairs in the left-right direction, sandwiching each opening 34m. The left-right pitch of the pair of female screws 34a is equal to the pitch of the pair of fixing grooves 4f in the upper frame 6A. Therefore, both of the pair of female screws 34a sandwiching the opening 34m can fix the upper frame 6A. The shape of each opening 34m is not particularly limited as long as it is large enough to allow the inter-unit wiring cable 12C to pass through and can communicate with the interior of the upper frame 6A when the upper frame 6A is fixed to the connecting frame 34 by a pair of female screws 34a.

[0063] The lower frame 34B differs from the lower frame 4B in that the rear side plate 4j has a plurality of screw insertion holes 34b for inserting the screws 14a and a plurality of openings 34n for inserting the inter-unit wiring cable 12C (not shown). Each screw insertion hole 34b is formed in a shape and position that allows the multiple female screws 34a to be exposed when the lower frame 34B is fixed to the upper frame 34A. Each opening 34n is formed in a shape and position that allows each opening 34m to be exposed when the lower frame 34B is fixed to the upper frame 34A.

[0064] With the height-adjustable tabletop desk 1A configured as described above, when the auxiliary frame 6 is connected to the connecting frame 34 at the same position as in the first embodiment, it has the same effect as in the first embodiment. Therefore, with this modification, it is possible to provide a height-adjustable tabletop desk 1A with a simple configuration that stably supports a tabletop 11 having a shape other than rectangular in a plan view, just like the first embodiment.

[0065] Furthermore, since the base unit 10A of this embodiment has the connecting frame 34, the connecting position of the auxiliary frame 6 relative to the connecting frame 34 can be changed according to the position of the female thread 34a into which the screw 14a is threaded. In this case, for example, by changing the connection position of the auxiliary frame 6, it becomes easy to use the base unit 10A to support a tabletop with a shape different from that of the tabletop 11. Therefore, by using the same base unit 10A, it is possible to manufacture a variety of lift-top fixtures with tabletops of various shapes. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, even when the top plate 11 is used, by adding auxiliary frames of different lengths having a configuration similar to that of the auxiliary frame 6 to the connecting frame 34 at a different connecting position than in the first embodiment, multiple auxiliary frames can be fixed to the rear bulge portion 11B. In this case, the rear bulging portion 11B can be reinforced with higher strength. In this case, the auxiliary legs 5 may be connected to all of the auxiliary frames, or there may be provided auxiliary frames that are not connected to the auxiliary legs 5. When providing auxiliary frames that are not connected to the auxiliary legs 5, the openings 34m, 34n do not need to be formed between the female screws 34a to which the auxiliary frames that are not connected to the auxiliary legs 5 are fixed.

[0066] [Second Modification] Next, a liftable tabletop fixture according to a modified example (second modified example) of the first embodiment will be described. Fig. 8 is a schematic plan view of a liftable tabletop fixture that is a modified example (second modified example) of the first embodiment of the present invention. For simplicity, Fig. 8 shows only the main parts. For this reason, for example, the operation unit 16, power cable 13, inter-unit wiring cables 12A, 12B, and 12C, and operation unit wiring cable 15 are not shown.

[0067] As shown in Fig. 8, the desk 1B (furniture fixture) of this modified example has a top 41 and a leg unit 40 instead of the top 11 and leg unit 10 of the desk 1 of the first embodiment. The following mainly describes the differences from the first embodiment.

[0068] The top panel 41 has a planar shape that is a partially concave arch (crescent shape) of a circle. The outer edge of the top panel 11 includes a rear edge 41a that is a convex arc with a central angle greater than 180 degrees, and a front edge 41b that is a concave arc with a central angle of approximately 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees. The outer shape of the top panel 41 in a planar view is bilaterally symmetrical.

[0069] The leg unit 40 includes an auxiliary unit 40B instead of the auxiliary unit 10B of the leg unit 10 of the first embodiment. The auxiliary unit 40B includes an auxiliary frame 46 instead of the auxiliary frame 6 of the auxiliary unit 10B. The auxiliary frame 46 has the same configuration as the auxiliary frame 6, except that the length in the front-to-rear direction differs depending on the shape of the tabletop 41. Similar to the tabletop 11, the tabletop 41 is fixed to the upper portion of the leg unit 40 so that the central axis C of the tabletop 41 coincides with the center of the base unit 10A in the left-right direction. However, the tabletop mounting area T of the base unit 10A on the leg unit 40 is located inside the rear edge 41a and is positioned so as to be approximately inscribed in the rear edge 41a. In particular, each of the front ground contact portions 2a of the base unit 10A is located near the intersection of the rear edge 41a and the front edge 41b. Therefore, when viewed in a plane, the top plate 41 can be classified into a top plate main body portion 41A that overlaps with the top plate mounting area T, a rear bulge portion 41B (bulge portion) that bulges rearward from the top plate mounting area T, a right bulge portion 41C that bulges to the right from the top plate mounting area T, and a left bulge portion 41D that bulges leftward from the top plate mounting area T. The rear bulging portion 41B, the right bulging portion 41C, and the left bulging portion 41D each have a general arch shape formed by cutting a circular arc with a straight line. However, the amount of bulging of the rear bulging portion 41B is larger than the amounts of bulging of the right bulging portion 41C and the left bulging portion 41D, and is also larger than the amount of bulging of the rear bulging portion 11B in the first embodiment.

[0070] In this embodiment, the auxiliary unit 40B reinforces and supports the rear bulging portion 41B from below. However, since the amount of expansion of the rear bulging portion 41B is greater than the amount of expansion of the rear bulging portion 11B in the first embodiment, the auxiliary frame 46 has a length that extends from the rear side surface of the connecting frame 4 to near the rearmost rear end edge 41a. The connection position between the auxiliary frame 46 and the auxiliary leg 5 in a plan view is near the rear end of the auxiliary frame 46. Therefore, the auxiliary leg 5 in this embodiment is connected to the auxiliary frame 46 at a position farther away from the tabletop attachment area T in a plan view than in the first embodiment.

[0071] Such an auxiliary unit 40B can reinforce and stably support the rear bulging portion 11B, which bulges out more and is more unstable than in the first embodiment.

[0072] The leg unit 40 of this type of height-adjustable tabletop desk 1B can be manufactured by connecting the base unit 10A of the first embodiment to an auxiliary unit 40B consisting of an auxiliary frame 46 and an auxiliary leg body 5. This allows the base unit 10A to be common to both the height-adjustable tabletop desks 1 and 1B, thereby reducing manufacturing costs. Furthermore, in auxiliary unit 40B, the more expensive auxiliary leg 5 can be used in common with auxiliary unit 10B. Also, auxiliary frame 46 has a common configuration with auxiliary frame 6 except that it is longer than auxiliary frame 6, and therefore the manufacturing process can be partially shared with auxiliary frame 6, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0073] According to this modified example of the height-adjustable tabletop desk 1B, even when a tabletop 41 with a large bulge, such as the rear bulge portion 41B, is used, the tabletop 41 can be stably supported with a simple configuration that is approximately the same as that of the height-adjustable tabletop desk 1. As described above, according to this modified example, similar to the first embodiment, a desk 1B with a liftable top plate having a simple configuration can be provided in which a top plate 41 having a planar shape other than rectangular is stably supported.

[0074] [Second embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the liftable tabletop fixture will be described. Fig. 9 is a schematic plan view of a furniture fixture with a liftable top according to a second embodiment of the present invention.Fig. 10 is a schematic side view of the furniture fixture with a liftable top according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0075] As shown in Fig. 9, the desk 1C (furniture fixture) of this modified example has a top 51 and a leg unit 50 instead of the top 11 and leg unit 10 of the desk 1 of the first embodiment. The following mainly describes the differences from the first embodiment.

[0076] The top panel 51 has an L-shape in plan view, with a rectangular main body 51P extending in the left-right direction and a generally rectangular protruding portion 51Q protruding forward from the left end of the main body 51P. Specifically, the outer shape of the top panel 51 in plan view is made up of a rear edge 51a, a left edge 51b, a first front edge 51c, a first right edge 51d, a concave arc-shaped edge 51e, a second front edge 51f, and a second right edge 51g. The rear edge 51a is the rear edge of the main body portion 51P, and extends linearly in the left-right direction. The left edge 51b is the left edge of the main body 51P and the protruding portion 51Q, and extends linearly from the left end of the rear edge 51a to the front in the front-rear direction. The first front edge 51c is the front edge of the protrusion 51Q, and extends linearly from the front end of the rear edge 51a to the right in the left-right direction. The first right edge 51d is a part of the right edge of the protruding portion 51Q, and extends linearly rearward from the right end of the first front edge 51c. The concave arc-shaped edge 51e is the right edge of the protrusion 51Q excluding the first right edge 51d, and curves in an arc shape from the rear end of the first right edge 51d toward the front edge of the main body 51P. The second front edge 51f is an edge on the front side of the main body portion 51P, and extends linearly further rightward in the left-right direction from the right end of the concave arc-shaped edge 51e. The second right edge 51g is the right edge of the main body portion 51P, and extends in a straight line connecting the right end of the rear edge 51a and the right end of the second front edge 51f in the front-rear direction.

[0077] The size of the main body 51P is slightly larger than a top plate attachment area T of the base unit 50A, which will be described later. The length of the protrusion 51Q in the protruding direction and the width in the short-side direction perpendicular to the protruding direction are not particularly limited. For example, in the example shown in Fig. 9, the length of the protrusion 51Q in the protruding direction is longer than the width of the main body 51P in the front-to-rear direction, which is the width of the main body 51P in the short-side direction. The width of the protrusion 51Q in the short-side direction is shorter than the width of the main body 51P in the short-side direction.

[0078] The leg unit 50 includes a base unit 50A and an auxiliary unit 50B instead of the base unit 10A and the auxiliary unit 10B of the leg unit 10 of the first embodiment. The base unit 50A is configured in the same manner as the base unit 10A, except that it includes a connecting frame 54 instead of the connecting frame 4 of the base unit 10A. The connecting frame 54 has the same configuration as the connecting frame 4, except that a fixing portion (not shown) for fixing the auxiliary frame 56 and an opening (not shown) for inserting the inter-unit wiring cable 12C are provided on the front side portion, closer to the left side. The positions of the fixing portion and the opening are set at appropriate positions according to the fixing position of the auxiliary frame 56 described later. The base unit 50A forms a top panel mounting area T similar to that of the base unit 10A.

[0079] The auxiliary unit 50B includes an auxiliary frame 56 and an auxiliary leg 55 (auxiliary lifting leg). The auxiliary frame 56 has the same configuration as the auxiliary frame 6, except that the length in the front-to-rear direction differs in accordance with the difference in shape between the top board 11 and the top board 51. The rear end of the auxiliary frame 56 is fixed by a fixing portion provided on the front side surface of the connecting frame 54. The auxiliary frame 56 is positioned in the left-right direction so as to bisect the short side width of the protruding portion 51Q of the top panel 51. The front end of the auxiliary frame 56 is located near the front outer edge of the protrusion 51Q.

[0080] The auxiliary leg body 55 is configured to have two ground contact portions 2a placed on the floor surface F, a lower support body 55b that straddles and is fixed to each of the ground contact portions 2a, and an elevation mechanism unit 3. Although not particularly shown, an adjuster is provided at the top of each ground contact portion 2a to enable fine adjustment of the height from the floor surface F. The lower support 55b is a plate extending in the left-right direction, and has a grounding portion 2a at each end in the left-right direction. The height of the lower support 55b from the floor surface F can be finely adjusted using an adjuster (not shown). The lifting mechanism unit 3 is erected in the center of the lower support body 55b in the left-right direction. 10, the lower end 3a of the lifting mechanism unit 3 in the auxiliary leg 55 is fixed to the upper surface of the lower support 55b, similar to the leg 2R. The upper end 3b of the lifting mechanism unit 3 in the auxiliary leg 55 is fixed to the lower surface of the auxiliary frame 56, similar to the auxiliary leg 5.

[0081] A top plate 51 is fixed to the upper part of the leg unit 50 in the same manner as the top plate 11. The top plate attachment area T of the base unit 50A is covered by the main body 51P in a plan view. The upper supports 2c of the legs 2R, 2L of the base unit 50A are fixed to the underside of the main body 51P near the right and left ends of the main body 51P in the left-right direction, respectively. An auxiliary frame 56 is fixed to the underside of protrusion 51Q so as to pass through the center of the width in the short side direction of protrusion 51Q. In a plan view, lower support 55b of auxiliary leg 55 and lifting mechanism unit 3 are arranged near the tip of protrusion 51Q in the protruding direction so as to overlap the inside of protrusion 51Q.

[0082] With this configuration, a front bulging portion 51B (bulging portion) including the entire protrusion 51Q and the main body portion 51P forward of the top panel mounting area T is formed in front of the top panel main body portion 51A in a range overlapping with the top panel mounting area T in a plan view. The maximum amount of bulging of front bulging portion 51B is at the tip of protrusion 51Q, and the area of ​​front bulging portion 51B where the amount of bulging is large is biased to the left side. The amount of expansion of the front bulging portion 51B is slightly longer than the length of the protruding portion 51Q in the front-rear direction, and therefore the amount of expansion of the front bulging portion 51B is greater than the width of the table top main body 11A in the front-rear direction, resulting in significantly increased instability. In addition, bulging portions are formed on the left, right, and rear sides of the top panel attachment area T, but the amount of bulging in each case is extremely small compared to the amount of bulging of the front bulging portion 51B. The auxiliary unit 50B in this embodiment reinforces the front bulging portion 51B and supports it from below.

[0083] Such an auxiliary unit 50B can reinforce and stably support the front bulging portion 51B, which bulges out more and is more unstable than in the first embodiment. In this case, the lifting mechanism unit 3 in the auxiliary unit 50B has a lower support body 55b that straddles two ground contact portions 2a that are spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction, and therefore can support the front bulge portion 51B more stably than the auxiliary leg body 5 that contacts the ground with one ground contact portion 5a as in the first embodiment.

[0084] In the desk 1C with a height adjustable top board, the operating unit 16 is provided at the front end of the upper support 2c of the leg 2R, as in the first embodiment. As in the first embodiment, the height-adjustable desk 1C is provided with a power cable 13, inter-unit wiring cables 12A, 12B, and 12C, and an operation unit wiring cable 15. The power cable 13, inter-unit wiring cables 12A and 12B, and operation unit wiring cable 15 are routed in the same manner as in the first embodiment, except that they are routed inside connecting frame 54 instead of connecting frame 4. The inter-unit wiring cable 12C connecting the control unit 7 and the lifting mechanism unit 3 of the auxiliary leg body 55 is routed inside the connecting frame 54 and the auxiliary frame 56 through an opening (not shown) that connects the connecting frame 54 and the auxiliary frame 56. Therefore, in the desk 1C with a height adjustable top board according to this embodiment, the exposure of the wiring cables can be reduced, improving the appearance and preventing interference between the wiring cables.

[0085] As described above, according to this embodiment, similar to the first embodiment, a desk 1C with a liftable top plate having a simple configuration can be provided in which a top plate 51 having a planar shape other than rectangular is stably supported.

[0086] [Third Modification] Next, a liftable tabletop fixture according to a modification (third modification) of the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 11 is a schematic plan view of a furniture unit with a liftable top panel according to a modified example (third modified example) of the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0087] As shown in Fig. 11, the desk 1D with a liftable top (liftable top furniture) of this modified example has a top 61 and a leg unit 60 instead of the top 51 and leg unit 50 of the desk 1C with a liftable top of the second embodiment. The following mainly describes the differences from the second embodiment.

[0088] The top panel 61 has a planar shape that corresponds to a general L-shape in which the protruding portion 51Q in the second embodiment protrudes in a direction that slopes leftward as it moves forward. However, in the example shown in Fig. 11, the length of the protruding portion in the protruding direction is shorter than that of the protruding portion 51Q. The outer shape of the top panel 61 in a plan view consists of a rear edge 51a, a left edge 61b, a first front edge 61c, a first right edge 61d, a concave arc edge 51e, a second front edge 51f, and a second right edge 51g. The left edge 61b extends linearly from the left end of the rear edge 51a in a direction that is inclined to the left at an acute angle θ as it extends forward. The first front edge 61c extends linearly from the front end of the rear edge 51a in a direction that is inclined forward at an acute angle θ as it extends to the right. The first right edge 61d extends linearly from the right end of the first front edge 61c in parallel with the left edge 61b. The concave arc-shaped edge 51e in this modification connects the rear end of the first right edge 61d and the left end of the second front edge 51f. Due to this external shape, a piece-shaped protrusion 61Q (see dotted line) protrudes from the top plate 61 forward of the second front edge 51f along the central axis M, which extends in a direction that inclines to the left at an acute angle θ as it moves forward.

[0089] The leg unit 60 includes an auxiliary unit 60B instead of the auxiliary unit 50B of the leg unit 50 of the second embodiment. The auxiliary unit 60B includes an auxiliary frame 66 in place of the auxiliary frame 56 of the auxiliary unit 50B. The auxiliary frame 66 has the same configuration as the auxiliary frame 56, except that it extends parallel to the central axis M of the protrusion 61Q from the front side surface of the connecting frame 54. That is, the only difference between the auxiliary frame 66 and the connecting frame 54 is the mounting angle of the end shape of the auxiliary frame 56 that is used to fasten the auxiliary frame 56 to the connecting frame 54.

[0090] With this configuration, a front bulging portion 61B (bulging portion) is formed in front of the top plate main body portion 51A in an area of ​​the top plate 61 that overlaps with the top plate attachment area T in a plan view. The amount of bulging of the front bulging portion 61B is greater in the area of ​​the protruding portion 61Q, and the bulging direction is inclined at an acute angle θ with respect to the front-to-rear direction.

[0091] In the desk 1D with a height adjustable top board, the operation unit 16 is provided in the same position as in the second embodiment. Although not shown in Figure 11, similar to the second embodiment, the height-adjustable desk 1D is provided with a power cable 13, inter-unit wiring cables 12A, 12B, and 12C, and an operation unit wiring cable 15. The wiring configuration of these wiring cables is similar to that of the second embodiment, except that inter-unit wiring cable 12C is routed inside auxiliary frame 66 instead of auxiliary frame 56.

[0092] According to this modification, as in the second embodiment, it is possible to provide a desk 1D with a simply configured liftable top that stably supports a top 61 having a shape other than rectangular in a plan view. When supporting the front bulging portion 61B of the top panel 61, for example, an auxiliary unit having a configuration similar to that of the auxiliary unit 50B in the second embodiment may be used, except that the length of the auxiliary frame 56 is adjusted to match the length of the front bulging portion 61B. In this case, however, the lower support body 55b extends in the left-right direction, which reduces the space available below the protrusion 61Q. According to this modification, the lower support body 55b is disposed parallel to the first front edge 61c, so that it is possible to secure a large space that can be used below the protruding portion 61Q. In this way, this modified example is a suitable example when the angle formed by the connecting frame and the auxiliary frame in plan view is not a right angle. According to this modification, the auxiliary leg 55 in the second embodiment can be commonly used simply by replacing the auxiliary frame 56 with the auxiliary frame 66. Moreover, the only thing that needs to be changed about the auxiliary frame 66 is the attachment angle of the end shape of the auxiliary frame 56 that is used to fix the auxiliary frame 56 to the connecting frame 54.

[0093] [Third embodiment] Next, a third embodiment of the liftable tabletop fixture will be described. FIG. 12 is a schematic plan view of a furniture unit with a liftable top according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0094] As shown in Fig. 12, the desk 1E with a liftable top (liftable top furniture) of this embodiment has a top 71 and a leg unit 70 instead of the top 11 and leg unit 10 of the desk 1 with a liftable top of the first embodiment. The following will mainly describe the differences from the first embodiment.

[0095] The top panel 71 has a planar shape equivalent to an equilateral triangle with each side replaced by a convex arc protruding outward. The top panel 71 has a planar outer shape formed by a first outer edge 71a, a second outer edge 71b, and a third outer edge 71c, each of which is an arc. If the intersection of the first outer edge 71a and the second outer edge 71b is P1, the intersection of the second outer edge 71b and the third outer edge 71c is P2, and the intersection of the third outer edge 71c and the first outer edge 71a is P3, then the triangle connecting points P1, P2, and P3 is an equilateral triangle. The top panel 71 has a line-symmetric shape with respect to a central axis C that passes through the midpoint of the line segment P1P2 and point P3. Furthermore, if the center of the top panel 71 is represented by point O, the top panel 71 has a three-fold rotational symmetry shape with respect to point O. Because the tabletop 71 has such symmetry, for example, the tabletop height-adjustable desk 1E allows workers to sit and work in front of the first outer edge 71a, the second outer edge 71b, and the third outer edge 71c. In this embodiment, the top plate 71 does not have a recess in plan view.

[0096] The leg unit 70 includes a base unit 70A and an auxiliary unit 70B instead of the base unit 10A and the auxiliary unit 10B of the leg unit 10 of the first embodiment. The base unit 70A has legs 2R and 2L similar to those of the base unit 10A, and includes a connecting frame 74 instead of the connecting frame 4. Unless otherwise specified, the terms "front side" and "rear side" will be used in the same manner as in the first embodiment. That is, they refer to the front side and rear side when standing in front of the height-adjustable desk 1E with the leg 2R in your right hand and the leg 2L in your left hand. However, the front and back in this case do not necessarily relate to the front and back when the height-adjustable desk 1E is in use. The connecting frame 74 differs from the connecting frame 4 in that the fixing portions and openings of the connecting frame 4 are provided on the front side surface at the center in the left-right direction. The fixing portions (not shown) of the connecting frame 74 are used to fix the auxiliary frame 76 (described later), and the openings of the connecting frame 74 are used to communicate the interior of the connecting frame 74 with the interior of the auxiliary frame 76 (described later).

[0097] Auxiliary unit 70B includes an auxiliary frame 76 instead of the auxiliary frame 6 of auxiliary unit 10B. The auxiliary frame 76 has a different length in the front-to-rear direction depending on the shape of the top panel 71, and has the same configuration as the auxiliary frame 6 in the first embodiment, except that it is fixed to the front side surface of the connecting frame 74.

[0098] A top plate 71 is fixed to the upper part of the leg unit 70. The base unit 10A of this embodiment is disposed below the tabletop 71, rearward of point O. In the left-right direction in a plan view, the leg 2R is located near the rear end of the first outer edge 71a, and the leg 2L is located near the rear end of the second outer edge 71b. In a plan view, the rear edge of the tabletop attachment region T extends parallel to the line segment P1P2 and is located near the line segment P1P2. Therefore, when viewed in a plane, the top plate 71 has a top plate main body portion 71A that overlaps with the top plate mounting area T, a front bulge portion 71B (bulge portion) that bulges forward from the top plate mounting area T, and a rear bulge portion 71C that bulges rearward from the top plate mounting area T. The front bulge 71B is shaped like a mountain with its apex at point P3. The rear bulge 71C is shaped like a bow, cut from a circular arc by a straight line. However, the amount of bulge of the front bulge 71B is greater than the amount of bulge of the rear bulge 71C, and is also greater than the amount of bulge of the rear bulge 11B in the first embodiment and the front-to-rear width of the top panel mounting area T.

[0099] In this embodiment, the auxiliary unit 70B reinforces and supports the front bulging portion 71B from below. However, since the amount of expansion of the rear bulging portion 41B is greater than the amount of expansion of the rear bulging portion 11B in the first embodiment, the auxiliary frame 76 has a length that extends from the front side surface of the connecting frame 4 to near point P3. The connection position between the auxiliary frame 76 and the auxiliary leg 5 in a plan view is near the front end of the auxiliary frame 76. Therefore, the auxiliary leg 5 in this embodiment is connected to the auxiliary frame 76 at a position farther away from the tabletop attachment area T in a plan view than in the first embodiment.

[0100] Such an auxiliary unit 70B can reinforce and stably support the front bulging portion 71B, which bulges out more and is more unstable than in the first embodiment.

[0101] The leg unit 70 of this type of height-adjustable tabletop desk 1E can be manufactured by connecting a base unit 70A, which has an auxiliary frame 74 instead of the auxiliary frame 4 of the base unit 10A in the first embodiment, to an auxiliary unit 70B. Therefore, for example, by making it possible to fix the auxiliary frames 46, 76 to both front and rear sides of the connecting frame 4 in the first embodiment, the base unit 10A can be made common in the height-adjustable tabletop desks 1, 1E. This reduces the manufacturing costs of the height-adjustable tabletop desks 1, 1E. Furthermore, in auxiliary unit 70B, the configuration of the more expensive auxiliary leg 5 can be shared with auxiliary unit 10B. Also, auxiliary frame 76 has a common configuration except for being longer than auxiliary frame 6, and therefore the manufacturing process can be partially shared with auxiliary frame 6, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0102] According to the tabletop lifting desk 1E of this embodiment, even when a tabletop 71 with a large bulge amount such as the front bulge portion 71B is used, the tabletop 71 can be stably supported with a simple configuration that is approximately the same as that of the tabletop lifting desk 1. As described above, according to this embodiment, similar to the first embodiment, a desk 1E with a liftable top plate having a simple configuration in which a top plate 71 having a planar shape other than rectangular is stably supported can be provided.

[0103] [Fourth Modification] Next, a liftable tabletop fixture according to a modification (fourth modification) of the third embodiment will be described. FIG. 13 is a schematic plan view of a furniture unit with a liftable top panel according to a modification (fourth modification) of the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0104] As shown in Figure 13, the desk 1F (furniture fixture) of this modified example has a leg unit 80 instead of the leg unit 70 in the third embodiment. The leg unit 80 has a base unit 80A instead of the base unit 70A, and is further configured by adding auxiliary frames 86A, 86B, and 86C. The following will mainly explain the differences from the third embodiment.

[0105] The base unit 80A includes a connecting frame 84 in place of the connecting frame 74 of the base unit 70A. Connecting frame 84 differs from connecting frame 74 in that fixing portions for fixing auxiliary frames 86A, 86B, and 86C, which will be described later, are provided on the front and rear side surfaces. However, in this modification, since distribution cables are not passed through auxiliary frames 86A, 86B, and 86C, connecting frame 84 does not have openings for passing cables through auxiliary frames 86A, 86B, and 86C.

[0106] The auxiliary frame 86A extends in the front-to-rear direction from the front side surface of the connecting frame 84 between the leg 2R and the fixed portion of the auxiliary frame 76 toward the front bulging portion 71B. The upper surface of the auxiliary frame 86A is disposed along the lower surface of the tabletop 71. The rear end of the auxiliary frame 86A is fixed to the side surface of the connecting frame 4. The upper surface of the auxiliary frame 86A is fixed to the lower surface of the tabletop 71. There are no particular restrictions on the method of fixing the auxiliary frame 86A. For example, the same fixing method as for the auxiliary frame 76 may be used. The length of the auxiliary frame 86A is not particularly limited as long as it is within the range of the underside of the tabletop 71. In the example shown in Fig. 13, the tip of the auxiliary frame 86A extends, in a plan view, to a line connecting the fixed position of the lifting mechanism unit 3 of the leg 2R and the fixed position of the lifting mechanism unit 3 of the auxiliary unit 70B.

[0107] The auxiliary frame 86A has an appropriate frame structure capable of reinforcing the top plate 71. For example, it may be formed by bending a metal plate in the same manner as the auxiliary frame 76. However, since it is not necessary to run a wiring cable inside the auxiliary frame 86A, components such as the upward plate 6d and the opening 6p may be omitted.

[0108] The auxiliary frame 86B is a member similar to the auxiliary frame 86A, which is disposed at a position symmetrical with respect to the central axis C. The auxiliary frame 86C is a member similar to the auxiliary frame 86A, except that the position and length of the auxiliary frame 86C are different from those of the auxiliary frame 86A. The auxiliary frame 86C extends in the front-to-rear direction from the rear side surface of the connecting frame 4 along the central axis C toward the rear bulging portion 71C. The upper surface of the auxiliary frame 86C is disposed along the lower surface of the top plate 71. The front end of the auxiliary frame 86C is fixed to the side surface of the connecting frame 84, and the upper surface of the auxiliary frame 86C is fixed to the lower surface of the top plate 71, in the same manner as the auxiliary frame 86A. The length of the auxiliary frame 86C is not particularly limited as long as it extends to the range of the lower surface of the top plate 71. In the example shown in Fig. 13, the tip of the auxiliary frame 86C extends to the vicinity of the second outer edge 71b.

[0109] According to this modification, the top panel 71 is fixed not only to the connecting frame 84 and the auxiliary frame 76, but also to the auxiliary frames 86A, 86B, and 86C that are fixed to the connecting frame 4. Therefore, the top panel 71 is reinforced at each fixed portion of the auxiliary frames 86A, 86B, and 86C. In particular, front bulge 71B and rear bulge 71C are more firmly integrated with connecting frame 84 by auxiliary frames 86A, 86B, and 86C, so the posture of top plate 71 becomes more stable against downward forces acting on top plate 71.

[0110] As described above, according to this modified example, similar to the third embodiment, a desk 1F with a liftable top plate having a simple configuration can be provided in which a top plate 71 having a planar shape other than rectangular is stably supported. This modified example is an example in which a tabletop lifting fixture is provided with an auxiliary frame that is not connected to the auxiliary lifting legs.

[0111] [Fourth embodiment] Next, a fourth embodiment of the liftable tabletop fixture will be described. FIG. 14 is a schematic plan view of a furniture unit with a liftable top according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0112] As shown in Fig. 14, the desk 1E with a liftable top (a liftable top furniture) of this embodiment has a top 91 instead of the top 11 of the desk 1 with a liftable top of the first embodiment. The following will mainly describe the differences from the first embodiment.

[0113] The top board 91 has a planar shape that is a V-shaped band of a substantially constant width, similar to the top board height-adjustable desk 1. The outer edges of the top panel 91 in a plan view include a rear edge 91a, a front edge 91b, a right edge 91c, and a left edge 91d. The rear edge 91a has a mountain shape with a convex portion that protrudes rearward from the center of the tabletop attachment area T in the left-right direction. The apex of the rear edge 91a is curved in an arc. The edge extending from the apex of the rear edge 91a is linear and inclined with respect to the central axis C. The front edge 91b has a mountain-like shape that is recessed inward of the tabletop mounting area T at the center of the tabletop mounting area T in the left-right direction. The top of the front edge 91b is curved more gently than the rear edge 91a. The portion of the front edge 91b excluding the curved top extends parallel to the straight portion of the rear edge 91a. The right edge 91c is a straight line connecting the left ends of the rear edge 91a and the front edge 91b, and extends parallel to the central axis C of the table top 11 that extends in the front-rear direction. The left edge 91d is a straight line connecting the left ends of the rear edge 91a and the front edge 91b, and extends parallel to the central axis C. The top plate 91 has a shape that is symmetrical about the central axis C in a plan view.

[0114] The width in the left-right direction of the top panel 91 (the distance between the right edge 91c and the left edge 91d) is slightly larger than the width in the left-right direction of the top panel attachment area T of the base unit 10A. The length of the right edge 91c and the left edge 91d is slightly greater than the width in the front-to-rear direction of the top panel attachment area T of the base unit 10A.

[0115] With this configuration, the top plate 91 is fixed to the upper surface of each upper support 2c and the connecting frame 4 between each upper support 2c, with the right edge 91c and left edge 91d adjacent to each upper support 2c of the legs 2R and 2L, respectively, when viewed in a plane. At this time, the auxiliary frame 6 extends from the rear side surface of the connecting frame 4 to the vicinity of the top of the rear end edge 91a. In a plan view, the top plate 91 has a top plate main body portion 91A that overlaps with the top plate attachment region T, and a rear bulging portion 91B (bulging portion) that bulges rearward from the top plate attachment region T. The rear bulging portion 91B is mountain-shaped and is surrounded by the rear edge of the top panel attachment region T extending in the left-right direction and the rear edge 91a.

[0116] Such a desk 1G with a height-adjustable top can be manufactured by replacing the top 11 in the first embodiment with the top 91. This allows the leg units 10 to be standardized in the desks 1 and 1G with height-adjustable tops, thereby reducing the manufacturing costs of the desks 1 and 1G with height-adjustable tops.

[0117] An example of how to use the height-adjustable desk 1G configured as described above will be described. FIG. 15 is a schematic plan view showing an example of use of the liftable tabletop furniture of the fourth embodiment of the present invention. As described above, the rear edge 91a of the tabletop 91 is symmetrical with respect to the central axis C, and the right edge 91c and the left edge 91d are linear and extend in the front-to-rear direction. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 15, in a desk row 100A consisting of multiple height-adjustable desks 1G arranged with almost no gaps in the left-to-right direction, the rear edges 91a form a zigzag unevenness in a plan view. That is, in the desk row 100A, the rear ends of adjacent height-adjustable desks 1G form a V-shaped recess formed by the combination of their rear edges 91a. This recess allows the rear edges 91a of other height-adjustable desks 1G to be positioned without gaps. Therefore, by placing other height-adjustable desks 1G with their rear edges 91a facing the respective recesses at the rear of the desk row 100A, the desk row 100B can be arranged. This allows two rows of desks 100A, 100B to be formed to an appropriate length, with the front edges 91b facing each other with a misalignment in the left-right direction. Since each of the desk rows 100A, 100B can substantially eliminate gaps between adjacent height-adjustable desks 1G in the opposing and left-right directions, the entire desk row 100A, 100B can form a long desk that extends left-right.

[0118] As described above, according to this embodiment, similar to the first embodiment, a desk 1G with a liftable top plate having a simple configuration can be provided in which a top plate 91 having a planar shape other than rectangular is stably supported. Furthermore, according to the present embodiment of the height-adjustable desk 1G, by forming rows of desks 100A and 100B of an appropriate length and arranging them opposite each other with almost no gap between them, a long desk that can be raised and lowered to an appropriate length can be constructed as needed.

[0119] In the above-described embodiments and modifications, the method of fastening the upper support body to the connecting frame and the method of fastening the connecting frame to the auxiliary frame have been described using screws. However, these fastening methods are not limited to screw fastening. For example, the fastening may be performed by threading a nut onto a male-threaded stud protruding from the frame fixing portion. For example, the members to be fastened to each other may be fastened by welding.

[0120] In the above description of the first modified example, the frame fixing portion provided on the connecting frame 34 is an example of a female screw 34a. However, the frame fixing portion is not limited to a female screw. For example, the frame fixing portion may be a male-threaded stud that protrudes from the connecting frame 34 and can be inserted into the fixing groove 4f. In this case, the end of the auxiliary frame 6 can be fixed to the connecting frame 34 by the fixing plate 6e by screwing a nut onto the male thread of the stud. For example, the frame fixing portion may be formed by a concave-convex fitting portion other than a screw. In this case, by providing a concave-convex fitting portion that fits into the frame fixing portion at the end of the auxiliary frame, the frame fixing portion and the end of the auxiliary frame can be fixed to each other. In addition, when the auxiliary frame is firmly fixed to the tabletop, the end of the auxiliary frame and the connecting frame do not need to be fixed very firmly. For example, the concave-convex fitting portion may be such that the frame fixing portion and the auxiliary frame are locked to each other. The connecting frame and the auxiliary frame may be fixed to each other via an appropriate auxiliary connecting member. For example, an example of the auxiliary connecting member is a clamper that partially clamps the connecting frame and the auxiliary frame. In this case, the frame fixing portion is not particularly limited as long as it has an appropriate shape that allows it to be clamped by the clamper.

[0121] In the above-described embodiments and modifications, auxiliary lifting legs are connected to at least one auxiliary frame. However, the auxiliary lifting legs may be omitted depending on the amount of expansion of the bulging portion and the expected load of the lifting tabletop fixture. In this case, the auxiliary frame may be omitted from the opening for inserting the distribution cable, as in the auxiliary frames 86A, 86B, and 86C in the fourth modification.

[0122] In the above fourth modified example, an example was described in which leg unit 80 includes auxiliary frames 86A, 86B, and 86C. However, depending on the amount of expansion of the expansion section and the expected load on the lift-top furniture, any of auxiliary frames 86A, 86B, and 86C may be omitted from leg unit 80. Furthermore, depending on the amount of expansion of the expansion section and the expected load on the lift-top furniture, auxiliary frames other than auxiliary frames 86A, 86B, and 86C may be added.

[0123] In the above-described embodiments and modifications, the auxiliary frame extends to the underside of the bulging portion and is fixed to at least the bulging portion. However, depending on the amount of bulging of the bulging portion and the load expected in the lift-top fixture, the auxiliary frame does not have to extend to the bulging portion as long as it faces the bulging portion. For example, even if the amount of expansion of the bulging portion is small, if the spacing between each upper support in the base unit is wide or the distance from the connecting frame to the edge of the tabletop mounting area is long, when a downward force acts on the bulging portion, the deflection of the tabletop main body in the area where the connecting frame and the edge of the tabletop mounting area overlap may be too large.For example, depending on the purpose of use of the lift-table fixture, it may be desirable to refrain from placing an auxiliary frame that protrudes from the underside of the tabletop below the bulging portion. In such a case, simply providing the auxiliary frame in an area overlapping the tabletop mounting area can reduce the deflection of the tabletop main body, which in turn reduces the deflection of the bulging portion adjacent to the tabletop main body.

[0124] Although the above-described embodiments and modifications have been described with reference to examples in which one connecting frame is used, two or more connecting frames may be provided.

[0125] Although the preferred embodiments and modifications of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments and modifications. Additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications of the configuration are possible within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited by the foregoing description, but is limited only by the appended claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0126] 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F, 1G Height-adjustable desk (height-adjustable furniture) 2a, 5a grounding part 2b, 5b, 55b Lower support 2c Upper support (top plate fixing part) 2L, 2R legs (elevating legs) 3 Lifting mechanism unit 4, 34, 54, 74, 84 connecting frame 5, 55 Auxiliary legs (auxiliary lifting legs) 6, 76, 86A, 86B, 86C auxiliary frames 7. Control Unit 10, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 leg units 10A, 50A, 70A, 80A base unit 10B, 40B, 50B, 60B, 70B auxiliary units 11, 41, 51, 61, 71, 91 Top plate 11A, 41A, 51A, 71A, 91A Top plate body 11B, 41B, 91B Posterior bulge (bulge) 12A, 12B Inter-unit wiring cable (first wiring) 12C Inter-unit wiring cable (second wiring) 13 Power cable 15 Control unit wiring cable 16 Control section 34a female screw (frame fixing part) 51B, 61B, 71B Anterior bulge (bulge) C, M center axis F Floor G ground area T Top board mounting area

Claims

1. The leg unit, a tabletop supported by the leg units; Equipped with The leg unit is a base unit that houses a pair of lifting legs that are spaced apart in the left-right direction and a controller that controls the lifting and lowering operations of the pair of lifting legs, and that has a connecting frame that is bridged between the pair of lifting legs and fixed to the tabletop; an auxiliary frame, one end of which is connected to the connecting frame, extending along the underside of the tabletop in a direction intersecting the extending direction of the connecting frame, the auxiliary frame accommodating an inter-unit wiring cable electrically connected to the controller, and the auxiliary frame fixed to the tabletop; auxiliary lifting legs that are arranged on a floor surface and connected to the auxiliary frame, and are electrically connected to the controller via the inter-unit wiring cable, thereby moving up and down in conjunction with the pair of lifting legs; the connecting frame includes a frame fixing portion for fixing the auxiliary frame, and a plurality of openings formed along the extension direction, the openings communicating with the interior of the auxiliary frame fixed to the frame fixing portion and through which the inter-unit wiring cable is inserted within the connecting frame; The leg unit is configured such that the auxiliary frame is fixed to any one of the plurality of frame fixing portions in accordance with the difference in the planar outer shape of the tabletop, and the inter-unit wiring cable is inserted through any one of the plurality of openings, thereby changing the connection position of the auxiliary frame relative to the connecting frame in the extension direction; The base unit is a tabletop lifting fixture that is common regardless of the planar external shape of the tabletop.

2. 2. The display unit with a liftable top plate according to claim 1, wherein the other end of the auxiliary frame is located near the outer edge of the top plate in the extension direction of the auxiliary frame.

Images